Title

Author

Graduation Year

Document Type

Degree

Degree Granting Department

Early Childhood Education and Literacy Studies

Major Professor

Jenifer J. Schneider Ph.D.

Co-Major Professor

Kathryn Laframboise, Ph.D.

Keywords

Writing instruction, Literacy, Discourse

Abstract

This study examined the interactions between teachers of writing and struggling writers. There were two main research questions: (1) What is the nature of the interaction between exemplary teachers of writing and struggling writers? (2) What arethe responses of struggling writers to exemplary teachers' scaffolding? To answer these questions, qualitative analysis was conducted on data. Two struggling writers were selected for the study based on their responses to the Writers Self-Perception Scale,writing samples, and teacher recommendation. Data collection included observation in two separate fourth grade classrooms during the writing block for 30 days. Data sources included audio-recording of writing instruction and teacher and student interviews, field notes, and writing samples. Several areas of similarity across the participants emerged from the data. They included mediated action through teacher response, written response to mediated action,social positioning, and best practices? By examining the interactions the researcher was able to speculate on social consequences of the interactions between teacher and studentas they relate to literacy learning.